Anthropology homework help…?

Question

I have to write an essay over 1 concept of Anthropology, I have to:

- Define it

- Give Examples

- Explain implication and effects on modern culture

It only has to be one page, please let me know if you have any ideas. I am so stumped. Thanks for any help =)

Answer 1

Cultural relativism would be a good topic.  It is a central theme in anthropology and was first described by Franz Boaz based on his experience with Alaska Natives.  He noticed that a lot of what people do is related to how they interact with their environment.  A lot is also cultural, relating to how individuals and groups within that society interact with eachother.  He saw that what would be considered taboo in some cultures is considered good in others.  For example, some Alaska Native groups get their vegetables from the stomachs of the animals that they kill for food because there simply is not much vegetation around that they can eat.  We would most likely not be okay with the idea of eating "stomach stew," but then again, we have an abundance of vegetables available to us.

There is a lot of information available on anthropology and cultural relativism, so you should have no problem finding examples and implications.  Good luck!